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Re: EPA Action Level for Radon
You will need to give "Technical Support Document for the 1992 Citizen's
Guide to Radon," EPA 400-R-92-011, May 1992, a read. Just a quick
introductory scan:
Page 1-1, Background on the 1986 Citizen's Guide
"The recommendations in 1986 were based primarily on limited experience
with homes whose indoor air had been contaminated with radon from uranium
mill tailings. Research in these homes showed that most could be mitigated
consistently to an average indoor radon level of 4 picocuries per liter (4
pCi/L). Based on this technology limitation, EPA established 4 pCi/L as the
action level at which people should fix their homes."
Page 1-2, Indoor Radon Abatement Act (IRAA)
"Section 301 of the Act establishes the national long-term goal that indoor
air be as free of radon as ambient air outside of buildings."
"Congress provided specific guidance on the scope of the revised Citizen's
Guide in section 303, requiring EPA to provide a "series of action levels
with a description of the associated health risks" to ensure that the
public understands that 4 pCi/L is not a safe level of exposure and that a
significant health risk exists at levels below 4 pCi/L."
Page 2-1, Estimation of Risks, Overview
"Using the modified BEIR IV model, EPA estimates that the number of lung
cancer deaths per year in the U.S. due to residential radon exposures is
approximately 14,000, with an uncertainty range of 7,000 to 30,000. This
estimate is based on the Census Bureau's estimate of 250 million people for
the residential U.S. population as of October 1, 1990."
Here are some links that may be of interest:
http://www.aarst.com/aarst/postate.html
http://www.epa.gov/iaq/radon/pubs/physic.html#HR1
It started with a legitimate concern for those that had homes built on top
of mill tailings, then pop, whoosh.. and this djinni was not going back in
that bottle, especially after Congress got a hold of it!
DJWhitfill
Opinions expressed are mine and do not reflect official policies or
positions of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.
Tom Mohaupt
<tom.mohaupt@wrigh To: Multiple recipients of list
t.edu> <radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu>
Sent by: cc:
radsafe@romulus.eh Subject: EPA Action Level for Radon
s.uiuc.edu
08/28/00 09:06 AM
Please respond to
radsafe
Hello Radsafers,
Does anyone know where the EPA got the 4 pCi/L (148 Bq/m^3)action level for
radon? The NCRP recommended 400 Bq/m^3 (actually 2 WLM/year) at a level
above which mitigation should occur. Did the EPA come up with this value
themselves or was is a recommendation from the National Academy of
Sciences?
Thank-you,
Tom
--
Thomas Mohaupt, M.S., CHP
University Radiation Safety Officer
104 Health Sciences Bldg
Wright State University
Dayton, Ohio 45435
tom.mohaupt@wright.edu
(937) 775-2169
(937) 775-3761 (fax)
"An investment in knowledge gains the best interest." Ben Franklin
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